Distinguished Alumni > 2007 >Bernard J. Bulkin

Bernard J. Bulkin

• BS 1962, Chemistry, Polytechnic Institute of Brooklyn
• PhD 1966, Chemistry, Purdue University

Bernie Bulkin was born in a New Jersey farmhouse and received his early education on the streets of New York. Today he is recognized as a leader in energy, technology and education.  He was an academic scientist in New York City for 18 years, also holding management positions as Dean of Arts & Sciences and Vice President for Research & Graduate Affairs; he was the Director of the Institute of Imaging Sciences. 

He joined Standard Oil in 1985, and following its acquisition by BP moved to London, where he held positions of increasing responsibility including Director, Manufacturing and Supply, Chief Technology Officer BP Oil, Vice President Environmental Affairs, and Chief Scientist. He retired from BP at the end of 2003, and was elected as a Fellow of New Hall, University of Cambridge in 2004. 

Now in his third career, Dr Bulkin is Chairman of AEA Technology plc and of the Swedish company Chemrec AB,  a Venture Partner of California venture capital firm Vantage Point, Member of the Boards of Severn Trent plc, Accelergy Corporation, and Argonne National Laboratory. His charitable activities include membership of the Council of the Royal Institution and  the Advisory Council of Scripps Institution of Oceanography.   In the UK public sector he is a member of the Sustainable Energy Policy Advisory Board and the Sustainable Development Commission, where he is Chair for Energy and Transport.  He frequently appears on radio and television discussing aspects of energy, climate change, and policy issues. 

He is the author of more than 100 papers and two books. Dr Bulkin is a Fellow of the Royal Society of Chemistry, Fellow of the Royal Society of Arts, and Fellow of the Energy Institute.  He is the winner of the Coblentz Award, the Society of Applied Spectroscopy Gold Medal, and the Oscar Foster Award in Science Education.

Bernie and his wife, Vivian, live in London, England.

 

Career Highlights
Present	Chairman of AEA Technology and on the boards of several other major corporations; active in venture capital with Vantage Point
Present	Professorial Fellow, New Hall, Cambridge University
Present	UK Sustainable Development Commission and other government advisory roles
2000–2003	Chief Scientist, BP; developer of BP’s Climate Change and Clean Fuels positions
1967-85	Professor of Chemistry and active researcher in molecular spectroscopy